“I hear people saying it’s a weak quarterback class, which is something I don’t believe in.”Geno Smith, in a live interview Wednesday afternoon with Danny Parkins and Carrington Harrison, 610 AMGH: Big kudos to Parkins and Harrison for nailing down this live interview with the former West Virginia quarterback. Geno could prove to be one of the most controversial NFL draft picks in Chiefs’ history – whether the Chiefs take him one-one or not. I imagine that these two mid-day 610 hosts had to be pretty happy with themselves in grabbing an interview that we all know Kevin Kietzman would have loved to have had on 810. I am going to guess KK is not all that happy with his crew for getting beat on this one.

“People say Geno Smith is hiding or that he’s not a competitor or whatever questions may be out there about me. I’m just going to go out there and do my best. … I feel like I separated myself [from Matt Barkley and the other quarterbacks in the draft] during the season and throughout my career. … I haven’t even come close to my peak.”Geno Smith, 610 AMGH: Smith sounded confident but not cocky during his interview on 610. In fact, he was difficult not to like.

“I don’t think there is anyway a quarterback is going to go number one. When you talk to people in the league, they don’t think there is any chance of that. I had one team tell me. ‘I wouldn’t take [a QB] in the first round.’ ”Mel Kiper, Jr., 610 AMGH: In a great move by Parkins and Harrison, they played this sound bite from Kiper for Geno to hear during their interview. They then asked him to comment on Kiper’s stinging words. This is how you conduct a professional and entertaining interview. Read on.

“It hurts to hear that because of the work I’ve put in. … When I hear them say that, that’s just a bit of added motivation for me.”Geno Smith, 610 AMGH: Smith didn’t overreact to Kiper’s words or get upset with his interviewers because they sprang it on him in mid interview. He handled the surprise blitz like you hope he will in the NFL.

“I’m a very heady player – very cerebral.”Geno Smith, 610 AMGH: When I hear athletes refer to themselves as heady and cerebral, I usually think the opposite is true. A cerebral player should be smart enough to know how self-patronizing that sounds to an audience of strangers.

“I am becoming more and more convinced that Geno Smith will be a total bust and never pee a drop.”Nate Bukaty, 810 AMGH: Bukaty didn’t elaborate on why he has formed this opinion of Geno but maybe he’s just chosen to take the anti-KK stance at 810.

“There’s no quarterback to remotely consider if you’re Kansas City. … There’s no chance of a quarterback going number-one to Kansas City.”Mel Kiper, Jr., 610 AMGH: This is the guest I want Kietzman to book for his radio show. I would enjoy hearing KK and Mel discuss the pros and cons of the Chiefs picking a QB with their first overall pick.

“My goal is to be picked number one overall but wherever I get picked I am going to come in with the same mentality and the same goals in mind.”Geno Smith, 610 AM

“I don’t want Geno Smith. He ain’t convinced me at all!”Caller, who let Parkins and Harrison know he was not won over by Smith’s interview, 610 AMGH: I couldn’t tell, but this caller sounded a bit like Matt Cassel with a Cajun accent.

“Team Geno definitely picked up some steam today. I’m on Team Tyler Wilson.”Carrington Harrison, on the former Arkansas quarterback, 610 AMGH: The more I look at the draft and how I think things will work out, I see the Chiefs taking Tyler Wilson with their second-round pick. I think both Geno and Barkley will be gone in round one but Wilson and his strong accurate arm will be there for Andy Reid to mold into an NFL starter.

“If you put all three of these guys together you probably have a number-one draft pick.”Terry Shea, former Chiefs quarterbacks coach, who is currently working with Geno Smith, Matt Barkley and Tyler Wilson at the IMG Academy, 810 AMGH: Shay called Barkley the best fit for the west coast offense with their quarterback under the center. He likes Geno Smith for a team that is dedicated to putting their quarterback in the shotgun. He called Tyler Wilson the most accurate passer. But he hedged mightily when SSJ asked him if any of the three QBs are worthy of the number one overall pick. He sounded like that would be a gamble most head coaches will not be willing to make.

“Yes, the 49ers are going to discuss trading Alex Smith but the thought is from the 49ers is you better bring something of value [to trade]. And is Cleveland and Kansas City willing to bring something of value?”Chris Mortensen, ESPN RadioGH: Sounds like the 49ers are going to be asking for a second-round pick or more for the services of Alex Smith. Mort seems to think they are content in keeping Smith if no team wants to meet their “something of value” demands.

“I know I can be a thrower first. I’ll do whatever it takes to help the team win. But I’m a quarterback.”Collin Klein, on his desire to play quarterback in the NFL, Denver PostGH: Few experts I have read think Klein will even be drafted, let alone drafted to play quarterback. That’s why I was so shocked to hear Terry Shea, the Chiefs’ former quarterbacks coach, on The Border Patrol on Thursday morning. Read on.

“I believe [Collin Klein] is an NFL quarterback. I can’t believe how people are hung up that he’s got a little bit of an unorthodox delivery. Plus he’s got all the intangibles. You kind of hit my hot button with Collin. He’s one of my favorites that I’ve ever been around. You just can’t believe what kind of a rub off he has on his teammates.”Terry Shea, 810 AMGH: Shea isn’t some guy on his coach watching Klein play once a week. Shea has worked with some of the game’s best young quarterbacks. I was stunned at his take on Klein. When Steven St. John asked Shea if he thought Klein was worth a late-round pick in the upcoming draft – Shea almost caused me to cut myself shaving. Read on.

“I’m not sure [Klein will be available] with a late-round pick. I think you’ve got a very strong athlete who probably will run a lot better in the combine in the 40 than people give him credit for. … In my opinion, no later than the third round would I wait to draft Collin Klein.”Terry Shea, 810 AMGH: If Klein gets drafted somewhere in the first three rounds of the draft, it will be a bigger upset than Tebow going to Denver in the first round. It will to me anyway. I don’t see Klein making an NFL roster as a QB but it will be damn interesting to watch and see if he’s all that Shea believes him to be.

“Robert Ford, who has done pregame and postgame work for the Royals, will be announced as the team’s new radio play-by-play voice, a source told MLB.com. He takes over for the Hall of Famer Milo Hamilton, who retired from full-time duties following last season.”Brian McTaggart, writer, MLB.comGH: Huge congrats to Ford for landing one of the 30 coveted radio play-by-play gigs in MLB. He told Fescoe on Thursday that he sent the Astros tapes of him doing the Royals games while sequestered in a booth at The K last season. Taking over for the legendary Milo Hamilton will not be easy but who says life is supposed to be cake? Who replaces Ford on the Royals postgame call-in show? I would like to suggest @FakeNed, aka Chris Kamler. The Royals might want to consider moving the show to satellite radio though to handle FakeNed’s vocabulary.

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About Greg Hall

Software guy who has been writing my Off The Couch column in KC newspapers, publications and websites since 1994. Has been bounced from some of the finest media establishments this side of State Line Road. Dad first and everything else second...and there are a lot of everything elses.

Bob Davis is stepping down because of his wife’s illness. She has Parkinson’s Disease, and he wants to spend more time with her. Whatever you may think of Davis as an announcer (BTW I didn’t think he was that great a baseball announcer) please temper your comments on that basis. You are free to bash his KU commentary. Will someone replace Davis? How about Kevin Harlan on a part time basis. Might be good for a baseball broadcast.

The Chiefs have no business entertaining drafting a QB in the 1st round with the 1st pick. However, if Geno is there in the 2d round, that is a more bargain pick at that time. I still like the Tennesee QB as well for later rounds.